Veterans Hearing Aid Improvement Act of 2026

Evaluating new coverage options: The demonstration project aims to evaluate the fiscal impact of covering FDA-cleared, over-the-counter hearing aids (Section 2(a)).

Targeted assistance for hearing loss: The project includes veterans who have been clinically determined by an audiologist to need an over-the-counter hearing aid for mild-to-moderate hearing loss (Section 2(c)(2)(A)).

Reducing access barriers: The Secretary is directed to select medical facilities that have a demonstrated ability to reduce access barriers and serve a diverse population in both rural and urban settings (Section 2(d)).

Measuring actual benefits: The project will measure self-reported benefits and speech recognition in noise to evaluate effectiveness (Section 2(f)).

Future program improvements: The Comptroller General's study is intended to provide recommendations on changes to programs and benefits to meet the needs of veterans with mild-to-moderate hearing loss (Section 3(c)(2)).

Technology requirements: To be eligible for the project, a veteran must have access to a mobile phone device and mobile data or Wi-Fi to operate the hearing aid functionality (Section 2(c)(3)).

Clinical restrictions: Veterans cannot participate if an audiologist determines they have red flag conditions or contraindications for over-the-counter hearing aid use (Section 2(c)(2)(B)).